I'm thinking there is no new footage of the real Cousteau team, just previously unreleased!
Opinion on Mouth Inflation option on Power Inflator
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I'm thinking there is no new footage of the real Cousteau team, just previously unreleased!
fnfalman
Contributor
Curiousity overwhelms me, but didn't we all have to do oral inflation as part of OW drills in order to get the C-cards?
OP
FFMDiver
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Many might not agree, but I think this has been a useful survey.
I have been considering aspects of alternative inflator designs. Obviously the manual option is a vital component. Having said that, should there be other power inflator options available with more attention to ergonomics and the use of more reliable materials? I think so. Should there be options for those who prefer not to use manual inflation? Obviously this notion is not popular.
Thank you to all those who have voted and commented.
I have been considering aspects of alternative inflator designs. Obviously the manual option is a vital component. Having said that, should there be other power inflator options available with more attention to ergonomics and the use of more reliable materials? I think so. Should there be options for those who prefer not to use manual inflation? Obviously this notion is not popular.
Thank you to all those who have voted and commented.
Manufacturers make the mistake of ergonomically designing inflator hoses that are much too long. They look ergonomic and they may see streamlined, but they actually hang too low, risk snagging when passing through wrecks, and have increased drag and increased impact on the diver's profile and ability to work closely to the bottom or a reef. Take a look at the shorter corrugated hoses of Halcyon inflators. Also notice the button position which allows for using the auto/oral inflator as a third regulator and is more ergonomic for the hand. Keep in mind that divers will need to work an inflator while wearing thick gloves so don't recess the buttons. Also keep in mind that gas should be easily vented from a rear dump/OPV and you only need one of these.
So, the plan is descend to 130' for a drift wall dive on a 300' wall. Both my buddy and I have freedived to more than 100' so we can easily equalize while dropping head down completely deflated to 120' (no finning). To maximize bottom time we want to get down as fast as possible without effort, so no air is added until 120'. At this point I could take a really big breath and then orally inflate with nearly all the air my lungs can hold at 120'. I might not even get neutral with one exhalation so I could take another good size breath and exhale what's necessary to become neutral. So far my only extra exertion is taking out my reg to blow into my inflator and then replacing reg (maybe twice)but I took two larger than normal breaths so I call it a wash. It's a drift dive so where will I fin while not really huffing? Not sure how much air it takes for me to be neutral at 130' but this is a multi level dive so whatever I put in at 130' is 4 times larger at 30' so if it was 1.5 full breaths that would be 6 full breaths at the end of the dive and I rarely take full breaths, more like two thirds. Oh, there's a great angle on that whale shark at 20', now half breaths to get closer, so more than 12 breaths at 20' and one good shot of a whale shark; priceless!
Oh wait, I'm not dialed in
Negative entry was really outside the scope of the sub-discussion, but sure I'll give it to you.
You take "two larger than normal breaths" and I suppose you have to do that rather quickly to get neutral (or are you finning to maintain depth?).
I find (as do most divers) that long slow breaths is the best way to breath in order to maximize bottom time. It allows the lungs to do their job efficiently; introduce oxygen to the blood and expel the CO2.
Oh, you'll have a better chance of getting the shot of the whale shark if you didn't need both hands to control buoyancy. That way you could use a camera.
Good story though.
I do it as a routine. All my (very limited) diving is in a RIB of the beach. As cylinder is always turned off until we arrive at the dive site, I manually inflate my BCD before walking into the sea,then slip it off & float it - to save energy- while waiting.
sambolino44
Contributor
Every time I've serviced just about every piece of my gear that's made of chrome-plated brass (including the spool in my BC inflator), there's always some spots where the plating has come off. And I rinse or soak after every dive. Now that area is no longer smooth, and it's sure to wear the mating O-ring a lot faster. I don't know how that compares to stainless steel or titanium, but I hope your quest for better materials is fruitful!
Negative entry was really outside the scope of the sub-discussion, but sure I'll give it to you.
You take "two larger than normal breaths" and I suppose you have to do that rather quickly to get neutral (or are you finning to maintain depth?).
I find (as do most divers) that long slow breaths is the best way to breath in order to maximize bottom time. It allows the lungs to do their job efficiently; introduce oxygen to the blood and expel the CO2.
Oh, you'll have a better chance of getting the shot of the whale shark if you didn't need both hands to control buoyancy. That way you could use a camera.
Good story though.
Normal to oral inflate before leaving the boat (neg entry?). Then free fall, head first, full deflate; 1.5 ft / sec average would see 120' in 80 motionless seconds. As we approach 120' you pull out of the dive into a horizontal spread eagle (slowing descent). For the last minute my only physical activity has been ears, and mine are yawners. Starting at 120' exhale nice and controlled into BC, then replace, purge, nice normal big breath and exhale into BC enough to arrest descent. Then there is usually a small correction venting of the BC. Averaging 1 ft / sec from 120' - 130' would be 10 seconds to exhale twice into my BC. No finning.
I did breath in fully on each breath, as well as fully exhale; good gas exchange! My only physical exertion is blowing into the inflator. Now think about a multi level wall dive; all you do is deflate on the way up so never more than one hand needed
there is a missing option. I use mine all the time, because it saves air.
it is not just to be used if the power inflator fails, any time I am on the surface I use it, before I go over the side of a boat if not doing a negative entry I use it and on occaision I have used it under water for fun and practice.
it is not just to be used if the power inflator fails, any time I am on the surface I use it, before I go over the side of a boat if not doing a negative entry I use it and on occaision I have used it under water for fun and practice.
InTheDrink
Contributor
This option was already discussed and I think Lamont showed the amount of air saved was pretty trivial (the point that I originally posited much less coherently).
You're not going save a noticeable/significant/useful amount of air manually inflating on the surface. It's good to practise manually inflating on the surface, no doubt, but don't think that the amount of air your saving is of any interest - it's not. Check back for Lamont's post if you still think differently.
J
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